


Who's afraid of...?

by prowlish (valkyrie_fe)



Series: tf_speedwriting's Spam Weekend [7]
Category: Transformers Animated (2007)
Genre: Community: tf_speedwriting, Gen, Humor, Urban Legends
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-10-29
Updated: 2012-10-29
Packaged: 2017-11-17 07:09:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 439
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/548941
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/valkyrie_fe/pseuds/prowlish
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“It’s always in pairs,” he said, his voice now so low that Swindle had to lean in to hear him.<br/>“What’s in pairs?”<br/>“His victims!"</p>
            </blockquote>





	Who's afraid of...?

**Author's Note:**

> Prompt(s): #7: challenge: take an urban legend and write a TF version.

Swindle sighed. Of all bots -- of  _all bots_  -- to get stuck with when waiting for Lockdown to do whatever it was he did, it had to be  _this_ lunatic. Swindle had seen him around before, chattering about Primus only knew  _what_  to whoever would listen. Now he was filling Swindle’s audio with something about... what was it?   
  
“A  _serial killer_ ,” the little blue and white bot said plaintively. “He -- ”  
  
Swindle laughed. “You realize there’s been a  _war_ , right? Point me to someone who  _isn’t_  a serial killer.”   
  
At this, the other bot whipped his head around, staring at everybot surrounding them as though he could do just that. “No, he’s been around for  _vorns_ , listen to me!” Arms crossed, Swindle fell silent. The bot was going to talk at him anyway. Why not? “One of his hands got disfigured so now it’s a  _hook_  and -- ”  
  
Swindle interrupted with another snort. Not counting Lockdown, he knew at least three mechs with that kind of modification -- two of them he’d sold the parts to. But he said nothing and let this bot go on with his feverish tirade.   
  
“It’s always in pairs,” he said, his voice now so low that Swindle had to lean in to hear him.   
  
“What’s in pairs?”  
  
“His victims! They could be lovers, or just friends, or -- I dunno, maybe just two bots in general. But he likes to terrorize them. Wait until they’re nice and cozy with each other or in conversation or something, and then creeps up on them. Drags that hook of his across the wall to let them know he’s coming, and...”  
  
Sitting up again, Swindle shook his head. “How’d you know all this if he always kills the pairs?”  
  
The smaller bot stared at him reproachfully. “I have sources. Everyone has sources, you know. No conversation or movement of yours is sacred.”  
  
“Yeah, sounds like your sources are the voices in your -- ” _Screeeeeech._  
  
The blue and white bot jumped with a squeak -- Swindle even had to admit he’d jumped, caught off guard. He looked over his shoulder and saw Lockdown grinning meanly down at him. The little bot had bolted already. Lockdown tapped his hook against the side of the building. “Don’t tell me you were actually  _falling_  for that idiot story.”  
  
Swindle snorted, standing from the bench. “Oh please, give me some credit.”  
  
Lockdown laughed. “You sure jumped like the hookbot was after you.”  
Swindle rolled his optics. “If I’m lucky,  _you’re_  the only ‘hookbot’ who’ll ever be after me. Now can we  _go_?”  
  
“The only one?” Lockdown asked, leading the way away. “Who exactly did you cheat?”  
  
Swindle just smiled.

 


End file.
